


Invitation

by Frozenleaf



Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: F/F, plenty of edna and lailah being supportive friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 03:22:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20464199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frozenleaf/pseuds/Frozenleaf
Summary: Rose stared at the dress. Contemplated the various excuses she could use to justify not wearing the worst excuse she had ever seen of clothing. It was too restrictive, too tight. That shade of pink looked horrible against her skin, the gold was too gaudy-But the memory of Alisha, smiling, holding out the invitation with expectation in her eyes gave her pause.





	Invitation

Rose growled.

The dress in Lailah's hands stared back menacingly.

Pink and frilly, it had golden stitches along a too-tight bodice and poofy sleeves that looked as though someone stuffed far too much ribbon than should be legal on a dress. There were even lace stockings to match, and the puffed up wig Edna was holding up, while decorated with ribbons, looked like something a cat had choked up.

"You want me to go in _that_?" she asked in horror.

"It's all the rage in Hyland," Lailah sang encouragingly. "Ladylake, especially. The nobility love dressing up like this!"

"Alisha, included," Edna deadpanned. "Probably."

Rose stared at the dress. Contemplated the various excuses she could use to justify not wearing the worst excuse she had ever seen of _clothing_. It was too restrictive, too tight. That shade of pink looked horrible against her skin, the gold was too gaudy-

But the memory of Alisha, smiling, holding out the invitation with expectation in her eyes gave her pause.

"Isn't there anything else?" she pleaded weakly. "Anything?"

Edna arched an eyebrow. "Why Lailah," the earth seraph said, "I think the Shepherd doth protest too much."

Lailah clicked her tongue, offered Rose a smile. "It's just a dress. You don't have to wear it if you don't want to."

"I mean," Edna continued, "it is only Alisha's birthday. The one that all the Hyland nobility are invited to. And you." She shrugged. "You could just not wear anything at all."

"Edna!" Lailah flung the dress at the earth seraph in a horrified gasp, sending the smaller girl toppling over onto the bed, dress, wig and all.

Rose groaned, rubbing her forehead. She picked the dress off Edna, setting it to the side as she helped the earth seraph up. "It's not like I don't want to go," she grumbled. "But I- I'd feel ridiculous, wearing all of that. Like I'll embarrass Alisha, or something." She sat on the bed, burying her head in her hands. "Why on earth did I agree to go?"

Lailah and Edna exchanged a _glance_, and Rose flushed. While being Shepherd meant that Rose was often presented with many invitations to public events and balls and the likes, she had always managed some excuse or another to avoid them- heck, Alisha even helped her make up excuses half the time. But when it came to Alisha's own birthday... when the princess had given her such a sweet smile and asked in such a cautious, nervous voice...

Edna sighed. Gave her a little pat on the shoulder. "You wouldn't say no to Alisha if she asked you to jump off a cliff and fight a dragon."

"I- I would!" Rose protested. At Edna's arched eyebrow, she swallowed. "It was only _once_ okay? And I'm the Shepherd, and she was in danger, and who else is gonna fight a dragon?"

Lailah chuckled, settling by Rose's other side. The fire seraph wrapped her arms around Rose's shoulders, and with a pout Rose settled her chin against Lailah's shoulder.

"I think it's sweet," Lailah said, stroking Rose's hair. "The bond between you and Alisha is one you treasure, so of course you'd accept her invitation."

"Then why do I feel like maybe I shouldn't have?" Rose mumbled.

"Because you're human," Lailah replies with a shrug. "Societal norms are something you feel like you need to conform to, especially when it comes to being close to someone you care about."

Rose sighed. Glanced at the pink dress once more.

Lailah smiled. "But you know... I don't think Alisha would want you to go if it doesn't make _you _happy."

Rose scoffed. "How d'you figure?"

"Princess Stabby Spear would rather marry a pig than see you sad," Edna spoke up from her other side. "Besides, she wouldn't care if you turned up wearing a sparkling loincloth, holding a giant turkey leg and commandeering a goblin cart."

Even Rose giggled at the imagery. "You think so?"

Edna arched an eyebrow. "You're really dense, aren't you?" She sighed. "Well, whatever. If we leave right now, we could probably catch a goblin before the party starts."

Lailah gasped. "But where would we find a giant turkey leg?"

Rose laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes. The seraphs waited until she was done, and she smiled. "I don't think that'll be necessary." She threw her arms around the seraphs, giving them a tight hug. "But, thanks guys. I really appreciate the talk."

Lailah smiled. Even Edna's eyes brightened, just a bit. They leaned against her, and Rose's trepidation and fear dripped away, little by little. Slowly, an idea formed in her head, one that seemed just right.

"Hey, guys? Mind if I ask a favor?"

* * *

The streets of Ladylake were relatively quieter after dark. There was a tranquil kind of peace that now lay over the city, and even the malevolence that usually seeped into cities seemed much lighter tonight. Were it any other night, Rose would have enjoyed it.

But as she made her way to the castle, her mind was abuzz with noise. It was a different route than the one she'd usually take to Alisha's house, but with the princess becoming more influential within the elite, her voice started to impact policies and rally the people to her side. It was with no surprise, then, that the family that had rejected her now sought to celebrate her by parading her as one of their own.

Rose was definitely not one of _them_. And despite Lailah and Edna's assurances, her nervousness was at an all-time high as she approached the doorman.

He gave her a bored, lazy look. "Rose," she announced. "The Shepherd."

There was a flicker of surprise in his eyes, and he quickly bowed and pushed the door open. "The Shepherd, Rose," he called out, and at first, Rose breathed a sigh of relief. But she had done so too soon.

The hall of the castle was big. She'd been here before as a political guest, but now all the candles were lit, reflecting off polished glass. Filigree and decorations hung from the top of the pillars, and there were easily a hundred or so pairs of eyes turned on her.

Rose gulped. The men all wore fancy doublets and jackets, with boots that were too high for her to even consider wearing comfortably. The woman, like Lailah had said, all wore the same poofy, over-decorated clothes as her dress, their wigs piled on so high Rose swore their necks would break if they so much as tripped.

And they were all looking at her.

"Your cloak, your ladyship."

Rose normally would have snarked back that she wasn't much of a lady, but now her fingers trembled as she undid her cloak and handed them to the doorman. She was very well aware that her clothes were far from... conventional. Her short, bright red curtain dress barely covered her knees, her arms bare save for a semi-transparent scarf. And well, she didn't wear a hairball on her head either, her brilliant red bangs falling over her eyes while the rest was done up in a neat bun, decorated with a single hairpin.

The doorman arched an eyebrow at her appearance, and she flushed, cringing at the idea that every member of Ladylake aristocracy probably was looking at her with the same judgmental look.

Then... "Rose!"

Relief washed over her at the sound of that familiar voice. Her eyes shot up, and Alisha's warm green caught hers even from across the room. The princess's smile was bright and pure, and the crowd parted to let her through.

Rose grinned. Alisha wasn't wearing what passed as Ladylake high fashion, either. Her blue, tailed shirt paired nicely with black trousers, her tousled curls falling over her shoulders. The only semblance of aristocracy she wore was a small tiara, and two earrings as green as her eyes.

And as she reached Rose, Alisha giggled and threw her arms around her.

"You made it!" The princess's voice was excited, happier than Rose imagined. "I was starting to feel a little lost, among all the bigwigs."

"Hairballs," Rose muttered, and Alisha bit back a chuckle. The sound quirked a smile, and shyly, she said, "You look great, by the way."

"You do, too." Faint pink dusted over Alisha's cheeks.

"Almost didn't." Rose pulled a face. "Edna wanted me to come as a normin. Lailah managed to get her to just make this instead."

Alisha arched an eyebrow, an appraising eye running over her. Finally, she chuckled, a teasing smile on her face. "I'm almost sad you didn't. That would have caused a ruckus with this crowd." She nodded behind her, and after a tense beat, they both burst into laughter.

People were watching them. But as Alisha tugged her away from the entrance, towards a quieter corner of the room, Rose didn't care. There was nothing in Alisha's manner or speech that showed anything but happiness in being with her, no matter how much of an ill fit she was.

"I'm so glad you're here." Alisha reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear, adding, "I was worried you wouldn't show. I know this isn't much of your thing. But it means a lot to me."

Her voice was low, her eyes bright. Rose flushed, and reached for Alisha's hand. It fit snugly against hers, and the hesitant smile on Alisha's face sent warm tingles through her.

Rose grinned. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."


End file.
